NATCHEZ — Last year’s team was young and inexperienced, but Natchez High School head coach Lance Reed said he expects the offseason to make a big difference.

The Bulldogs finished last season 6-5, but only won two games in its region. With spring practice under way at NHS, Reed said he’s looking for his players to show major improvement heading into summer workouts.

“This group of guys had a season to play and get that much better,” Reed said. “We’re going to focus on hard work and the basics of our schemes.”

Thanks to winter workouts, Reed said the team has gotten stronger, bigger and faster, which he said should help tremendously from physical standpoint.

“We expect a much-improved team,” Reed said. “We’ve had a fantastic offseason so far, and we have big things planned this summer. We have a good nucleus of players to go into this season with.”

Reed said the MHSAA typically allows 15 days for coaches to work with players in the spring, but the coaches aren’t always able to get those 15 days in.

“We plan out our schedule, but there’s a lot going on in the spring with awards programs and state testing,” Reed said. “We have to work around those things to get spring practice in.”

There’s also other sports going on like track, powerlifting and baseball, but Reed said he supports his athletes participating in those sports.

“I think it helps tremendously,” Reed said. “We try to do our best to work with the powerlifting program, as well as the track program, to get our guys to participate in those areas.

“Even though we feel like we have a great offseason program, those programs add another dimension to athletes when they participate.”

It also helps that the athletes are getting more opportunities to compete against other athletes, Reed said.

“The opportunity for players to compete are vital ingredients for them to be competitive players,” Reed said. “We push the kids to other sports. It’s good for them, as well as for our school.”

One area the Bulldogs want to improve upon is its passing game, which struggled last season. In addition to rising senior Derrian Johnson, Reed said some other players will likely get reps at that position.

“We’ll use Derrian at quarterback and at different areas as well,” Reed said. “(Sophomore) Anthony Robinson and (junior) Capre Garner are both getting work there as well.”

Johnson said all of the players are excited to be out on the practice field working in preparation for their spring game in a few weeks.

“A lot of guys are ready to strap on the pads and hit,” Johnson said.

Getting better at all areas of his game is what Johnson said he’s focusing on, especially since the coaches want to try him out at free safety. Johnson said it helps that he plays quarterback on offense when he’s defending a quarterback’s attack on defense.

“I look for his eyes,” Johnson said. “A lot of guys try to break early (on the pass) and get beat. I just have to stay in my zone and play disciplined on defense and listen to my coaches.”

NHS will host McComb for its spring game May 11.